Problems · NHTSA complaints

2006 Lincoln Navigator problems

Owners filed 60 complaints about the 2006 Lincoln Navigator with NHTSA between Sep 2005 and Sep 2022. The most-cited component is suspension (16).

Complaints
60
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension16
  2. Engine and engine cooling13
  3. Engine9
  4. Electrical system7
  5. Power train6
  6. Air bags6
  7. Vehicle speed control4
  8. Fuel/propulsion system3
  9. Structure3
  10. Steering3
  11. Fuel system, gasoline3
  12. Tires3
  13. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  14. Service brakes2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20051
20060
20074
20085
20094
20108
20117
20121
20131
20146
20154
20166
20175
20184
20190
20203
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Suspension

16 reports
“THE SUSPENSION ON THIS SUV IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS I HAVE REPLACED THE SUSPENSION AIRBAGS OH RINGS COMPRESSORS MULTIPLE TIMES AND EACH TIME IT TURNS COLD AND I LIVE IN ARIZONA THE CAR DROPS AND ON ABLE TO DRIVE IT DUE TO EXTREME VIOLENT SHAKING TO WEAR THE CAR SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO ROLL OVER SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH THE SUSPENSION ON THIS VEHICLE LINCOLN NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THIS MISTAKE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2018SuspensionODI 11157159

Engine and engine cooling

13 reports1 crash1 fire
“ENGINE WAS MISSING WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE OR PASS VEHICLES. DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN TRYING TO PASS ON HIGHWAYS AND INTERSTATES. TOOK 2006 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR IN FOR NEW SPARK PLUGS. DEALER SAID ALL 8 PLUGS BROKE OFF AND ONE DAMAGED THE HEAD AND NOW NEED NEW HEAD DUE TO BROKEN SPARK PLUG. COST WILL EXCEED $3,000. SPOKE WITH 6 LOCAL MECHANICS AND ALL AGREED THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR FORD'S FAULTY DESIGN? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 6, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10410692

Engine

9 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND ATTEMPTING TO MOVE FORWARD, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT THEN ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE VEHICLE STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. (NORTH PARK LINCOLN LOCATED AT 9207 SAN PEDRO AVENUE, SAN ANTONIO, TX 78216) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,400.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 31, 2020EngineODI 11306288

Electrical system

7 reports1 fire
“Fuel gauge says zero miles to empty and will not take any gas more than a few gallons before kicking pump off. Gauge shows it's over heating but if you turn ignition off and turn right back on it resets and is fine. Codes come back saying nothing about fuel or cooling, but only something about speed control in the hub. Sounds like an electrical issue but no where to be found.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2022Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11482715

Power train

6 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT THE DEALER COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS. ANOTHER DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE POWER STEERING, TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AS THE STEERING ALSO MALFUNCTIONED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 13, 2010Steering, Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10325456

Air bags

6 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES, THE LEFT LANE SUDDENLY STOPPED AND THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE ANN COLLISION REPAIR CENTER WHO REPAIRED THE FRONT END, RADIATOR SUPPORT, AND THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2017Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11012558
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.